staying off site to save money!

[MrsPete]

We've stayed both on-site and off-site, and although we've enjoyed both types of trips, they are not the same vacation:

When you stay on-site, we use the parks more. We get up early and are among the first into the parks. When the crowds really start pouring in and the sun heats things up, we go back to the hotel for a long rest, then return to the parks for the evenings. With the parks so nearby, we tend to go-go-go constantly. We love that we don't have to drive our own car (or get into a hot car, or get lost). By the end of the trip, we're exhausted, but we've seen and done as much as possible.

In contrast, when we stay off-site, we have a more relaxing trip and more family time. We still get up early, but it's harder to get to the parks as early. We tend to make lunch our big meal, and we sit down for at least an hour to get a rest; still, we don't have the stamina to stay late like we do when we go back to the room for several hours. More than once we've said, "We'll go back to the hotel, eat lunch, then come back for such-and-such this evening." More often than not, by the time we're back to our room, showered, someone's watching a movie . .. we end up saying, "Oh, let's not go back." We tend not to go to the parks every day, but instead we enjoy the off-site pool and cook big meals together. We hate driving to and from the parks, but we hate coordinating with hotel shuttles more. The extra space in which to spread out is nice, but it isn't a must-have. By the end of the trip, we've had lots of family time and relaxing time, but we haven't done nearly as much.

Both are nice, but do expect off-site to be different. For the price difference you're describing, I'd definitely choose off-site this time. I think the big difference is that you're looking at the prime summer months.

I will second another poster's suggestion to bring your crock pot. I'd bring ready-to-dump crockpot meals in ziplock bags. That'd give you something good waiting for you every evening and would garner more savings.

 

[Chelley00]

When you stay on-site, we use the parks more.

In contrast, when we stay off-site, we have a more relaxing trip and more family time. .

We're the total opposite

When we're offsite, we might sleep in a little more, but then stay in the parks until close because no one wants to walk back to the car and leave. We usually only use the pool at night and we never get back until after dinner. When we're onsite, we're more likely to hop on the bus/monorail and head back to the resort to swim and relax, do some activities, eat at the resort etc.

 

[melancholywings]

This is all really good information. We've always stayed onsite, but are considering staying off site for a trip with extended family. But the idea of trying to get everyone out the door all at the same time stresses me out. When we stay on site it's easier to say 'We're headed off to the park we'll meet you there.' Or if someone starts feeling unwell, it's easier for just that person to head back while the others stay and play. I think we'll end up having 1/2 the group stay onsite and the other half off.

 

[jcemom]

I'm glad you were able to work out an affordable trip. It's not exactly comparing apples to apples though. I'm sure you can get by on $800 for dining, but you're not going to get what you would on the DDP for that amount of money. Maybe when figuring your price comparison, you should include parking and somewhat equivalent meals.

If you're going to include the DDP in your onsite total, then you should figure on a CS meal, a TS meal and a snack per person, per night, when calculating your offsite total as well. If you're going to go by your offsite dining calculations, then you should do the same with your onsite trip. Make sense? You don't have to actually SPEND that much, but it will give you a better idea of the savings.

I'm not saying you won't still be saving money. I'm pretty sure you will. I'm just saying that to know exactly how much money you're really saving, you need to make the trips as comparable as possible, IMO.

 

[navywifetill2002]

We have always stayed off site (once with extended family once in a friend owned condo with low "rent") but we're staying in a Value this time!

This will be DD's 1st (and according to DH) only trip. With that being the case I wanted to get lots of character dining in. I had thought $100 a day would feed us but when I set up 1 ADR for each day we were already at $600 for our 8 night trip (DH is a big eater and 1 meal a day is not going to cut it for him).

We were going to use DH's hotel points to stay in a big suite for $400 for the week (included breakfast). Staying off site we also needed airport transfers (I figured $100 round trip). When the free dining came out I got a quote of $1963 for 8 nights upgraded to a DDP (same tickets either way, sightly higher without using undercover tourist).

For us it is actually a the same price to stay on property and less for me to stress over. (600+ food, 400 room, 750 tickets, 100 transfers = 1850).

You're going to be at a Magical place and I'm sure you'll have a wonderful time no matter where you stay!

 

[dougsmom98]

This is all really good information. We've always stayed onsite, but are considering staying off site for a trip with extended family. But the idea of trying to get everyone out the door all at the same time stresses me out.

The key to staying off site with extended family is to make sure you rent a place with enough bathrooms. We rent a place with 3 master bedrooms with their own bathrooms and then the twin rooms have a bathroom to share. The other key is to make sure each family has their own vehicle. We tell people what time we are leaving and they better be ready if they want to go to the parks at the same time as us. Don't wait around for people. If you do, you will continue to wait around for them all week and you will get grumpy. Good luck.

 

[agmmbolam426]

We do realize we will not be eating the same as if we were on the DDP. But that is also apart of the saving money part lol. We plan on eating at disney for CS and 2 dinners one at O'hana and the other at Le Cellier (lunch).

 

[eliza61]

Totally agree. I see that as a suggestion quite a bit around here and always feel the need to point out that it's way cheaper than going through Disney for the same accommodations, but it's not "cheap" like 800 for the week for 6 people.
We rent points often. We do it through a service at 13 dollars per point, but even at 10 dollars a point it would be more than 800 for four of us in a studio for our week. It's a great way to stay Deluxe for much much cheaper, but during the times we go, it still works out to approximately what a mod would cost us. It's not the cheapest option, especially when compared to offsite accommodations and certainly not for 6 people.

for 6 people, you would have to rent at least a 2 bedroom villa or 2 seperate villas (some type of combo 1 bedroom & studio, 2 studios etc). A week at a 2 bedroom at okw is about 250 points. I generally rent mine at 10 bucks a point that's 2500 dollars. Not sure how folks get under 1000 bucks even renting for a week.

 

[happymommy]

That is a great deal for you! We used to always stay on site as well, but once we tried a condo with more space, and saw how easy it is to make some meals in the kitchen (plus the kids and we were tired to go out sometimes!) we're definitely changing our ways! I also love the laundry right there, so we have fresh clean pj's and clothes, and don't go home with a ton of dirty clothes.

Since you're driving, you can even make and freeze dinners, to save time and money too! I've done that when we went to Williamsburg a couple of times - we brought our own food so in fact ate out only one sit down meal in a week - cooked everything else (and had picnics) and my kids were happier with familiar food anyway!

Matter of fact, we drove from Maryland once, staying at the Boardwalk villas, so I packed all our juice, water, milk (we drink soy and it doesn't need refrigeration), a cooler with hot dogs, lunch meat, basically we took everything we needed so never had to go to the store once. Our van was loaded down! That's because of our double stroller too - it was huge but the best!

I hope you have a great trip!